Lapo Somigli is a medieval archaeologist, specialized in IT application for historical and
archaeological research.
He studied at the University of Florence with Prof. G. Vannini (Chair of Medieval Archaeology). In
2013 he defended his PhD dissertation in History and Information Technology at the Alma Mater
Studiorum – University of Bologna. His work focused on power structures in medieval Montalbano,
a rural area in central Tuscany, and the development of a historical and archaeological data
management system.
Since 2018 Dr. Somigli has been a post-doctoral research fellow at University of Florence within an
interdisciplinary project on digital humanities. He is also Adjunct Professor of geomatics
(Specialization School of Archaeology) and of Digital Humanities (SAGAS Department of the
University of Florence).
He has participated in numerous excavations and research projects in Italy, especially in Tuscany,
and abroad. He is a member of the Italian archaeological mission in Jordan 'Medieval
Petra–Shawbak Project'. In addition to archaeological analyses of medieval buildings and
excavation activities, he collaborates in the realisation of the IT architecture for archaeological data
management and three-dimensional archaeological surveys.
Since 2014, he has been a member of the Italian Archaeological Mission in Armenia 'The Making
of the Silk Road in Armenia' (University of Florence and Yerevan State University), where he is in
charge of the three-dimensional surveys of artefacts and architectural structures. He is also
specialized in photogrammetry, GIS (Geographic Information System) and spatial analyses.
archaeological research.
He studied at the University of Florence with Prof. G. Vannini (Chair of Medieval Archaeology). In
2013 he defended his PhD dissertation in History and Information Technology at the Alma Mater
Studiorum – University of Bologna. His work focused on power structures in medieval Montalbano,
a rural area in central Tuscany, and the development of a historical and archaeological data
management system.
Since 2018 Dr. Somigli has been a post-doctoral research fellow at University of Florence within an
interdisciplinary project on digital humanities. He is also Adjunct Professor of geomatics
(Specialization School of Archaeology) and of Digital Humanities (SAGAS Department of the
University of Florence).
He has participated in numerous excavations and research projects in Italy, especially in Tuscany,
and abroad. He is a member of the Italian archaeological mission in Jordan 'Medieval
Petra–Shawbak Project'. In addition to archaeological analyses of medieval buildings and
excavation activities, he collaborates in the realisation of the IT architecture for archaeological data
management and three-dimensional archaeological surveys.
Since 2014, he has been a member of the Italian Archaeological Mission in Armenia 'The Making
of the Silk Road in Armenia' (University of Florence and Yerevan State University), where he is in
charge of the three-dimensional surveys of artefacts and architectural structures. He is also
specialized in photogrammetry, GIS (Geographic Information System) and spatial analyses.
less
InterestsView All (36)
Uploads
Papers by Lapo Somigli
Fra gli obiettivi complessivi del progetto, il programma archeologico ha avuto quello di elaborare uno specifico approccio metodologico per l’analisi e il restauro delle strutture, oltre che contribuire alle pluriennali ricerche condotte dalla Cattedra di Archeologia Medievale sulla Firenze medievale e rinascimentale.
Medieval archaeology is quite a recent academic field in Italy (from 1970s) and is characterized by high interdisciplinarity within Human and Natural sciences. Medieval landscapes and urbanization are the blueprint of today’s Euro-Mediterranean countryside and cities. Medieval architectures are a key feature of modern historic centers and in a very great number of cases medieval buildings are still in use as public or private structures across Europe and the Mediterranean. These facts provided the ground for designing projects that could serve the purposes of academic research as well as to help addressing issues of heritage governance and of promotion of social cultural growth and awareness for local and tourist populations.
A crucial point for the viability of such projects was the actual engagement of non academic potential beneficiaries into a joint cooperation with University of Florence on an equal basis. Community activation, based on the methodology of EU Leader Plus programme for rural development (then embedded within Public Archaeology), helped bridging the obstacles of potential distrust between academic and non academic actors through the development of a common language and through clearly defined roles within project consortia. The aim of maximizing benefits for all partners was interpreted in the sense that projects should respond to clearly identified needs of each partner/stakeholder, that has to actively take part to project planning and activities, thus helping an actual engagement of all project actors. All activities are subject to monitoring and impact evaluation. Projects developed by the Chair of Medieval Archaeology within this frame provided additional funding for base research (also in the form of research grants); sustained and implemented a scientific network of international public research institutions and their activities (including joint scientific missions and publications); created territorial, national and international networks of academic and non-academic actors able to join forces in project consortia and, recently, developed spin-off actions in the field of heritage services/enterprises.
In the case of the “Atlas of Medieval Buildings” (2006-2008), the outcome of archaeological research on medieval still standing structures of Mount Amiata in southern Tuscany, based on procedures of Light Archaeology (using non-invasive methods, limited excavation and focused on reconstructing territorial histories) produced in turn usable tools of heritage governance for 10 local municipalities (EU Leader Plus “Colleganze”) as well as a local museum (funded by Municipality of Arcidosso, University of Florence and Regione Toscana) for disseminating the results of academic research towards heritage tourists and resident population. The scientific study was carried out by the Chair of Medieval Archaeology and was aimed at recording and interpreting lordly settlement strategies of earls Aldobrandeschi between 10th and 14th centuries as part of a wider research programme on medieval rural aristocracies in Tuscany that includes areas in the provinces of Florence and Arezzo.
[quote from M. Nucciotti, G. Vannini, 'Light and Public!
International projects and research by the Florence chair of Medieval Archaeology, Florence (Italy), 2011, in print]
I lavori previsti per il progetto di riqualificazione
e miglioramento sismico della Torre di mezzo, nel parco
Corsini di Fucecchio, sono stati l’occasione per realizzare un
intervento archeologico finalizzato al recupero di nuovi dati
per la comprensione delle prime fasi medievali del sito. Le indagini
hanno previsto lo scavo di due trincee lungo i fianchi
esterni della torre e la pulitura profonda degli interni, consentendo
di mettere in luce alcuni livelli riferibili alle fasi fondative
della torre e della cisterna (inizi XIV secolo) costruita
alla sua base. Si è avuto modo, inoltre, di confermare per via
archeologica anche le fasi della smilitarizzazione dell’edificio,
avvenuta nel corso del XV secolo.